The Brady Bunch Episode #13
Oh, hello there. Welcome to my Brady world. Please come in and make yourself comfortable and enjoy my review of The Brady Bunch Episode #13. This originally aired on December 26, 1969 and is called “Is There a Doctor in the House”. This is about where all the little rats get measles and Mike and Carol can’t decide whether to use Mike’s “boy” doctor or Carol’s “girl” doctor.
The show opens with Carol cleaning in a very short skirt. Why is she cleaning? What do they pay Alice for? Peter walks through the door all happy to be home from school. He has the measles and a temperature. Carol calls her doctor (Dr. Porter) and asks her to stop by the house. Really? They did that back then? That’s cool. I want my doctor to come over and do my pap smear here at the house. Way cool.
Jan is the next one to show up with pretty dots all over her body. She and Peter become naggy little rats who constantly pester Alice.
Doctor Who?
Dr. Porter shows up and heads upstairs to Peter’s room. Marion Ross portrays Dr. Porter. Everyone in the world (unless you’ve been living under a rock) knows that she was Mrs. Cunningham on Happy Days. Anyway, Peter gets all freaked out because Dr. Porter is a woman.
While Carol is in Peter’s room telling him he’s dumb for not wanting a girl doctor, Jan starts screaming for her mom. Blind Carol walks into Jan’s room and right past Dr. Cameron, who she apparently didn’t see as she almost runs into him. Carol doesn’t know Dr. Cameron since he’s Mike and the boys’ doctor, so she starts freaking out. Herbert Anderson portrays Dr. Cameron. Herbert is one of those actors you see everywhere. He was on The Waltons, Nanny & the Professor, Family Affair, and many others. I know him as the father on Dennis the Menace. Anyway, Carol gets embarrassed when she realizes who Dr. Cameron is.
Rats with Dots
While Mike and Carol are downstairs discussing which doctor is best, Greg, Marcia, Bobby, and Cindy all come home with the measles as well. Six little rats with dots. Awesome.
While Mike and Carol are talking (fighting) about which doctor to use, they show Mike fixing a drink. I think this is the only time alcohol was shown in the Brady house. Alice later in this episode talks about how Mike had to have one hot buttered rum after another when he was sick the previous year. Alky bum. (Personally, I like rum & coke without the coke.)
Cut to the girls’ bedroom where Greg, Marcia, Peter, and Jan are playing monopoly. They’re getting along fine until they start talking about which doctor to use. Greg says “Women are supposed to be nurses. Men are supposed to be doctors.” Well aren’t you the sexist little pig.
The kids all have a different noise maker to get their parents attention while they’re sick in bed. They take advantage of their noise makers quite often. I would have shot them.
Food Time
Mike and Carol bring lunches upstairs to the kids. Greg doesn’t like his meal and wants bologna. Mike says his meal is a feast fit for a king. Greg says “Then give it to the king and get me some bologna”. What a brat.
Cindy says my favorite stupid Thindy line ever. “How come I alwayth get peanut butter and jelly thandwicheth?” Carol says it’s because she loves them. Thindy says “Oh yeah, I keep forgetting.” Smart.
All of the kids get a different meal and none seem to be happy. Jan wants gravy. Peter and Bobby want mustard. Peter doesn’t like his broccoli. Just shut up and eat your food and think about all the starving children in the world.
There’s a scene in the kitchen where Carol and Alice are trying to figure out which kid has had which disease. Mike walks in and says a line about nobody having had their shot for distemper (that was Tiger’s medical history), but the line is overdubbed. Does anyone know what he really said? It looks like he may have said rabies. Why would that be overdubbed?
In the end, Mike and Carol decide to go with both doctors. Everyone is happy except for Alice who comes down with the measles at the end of the show. Oops.
I hope you’ve enjoyed my review of The Brady Bunch Episode #13. Check back in a few weeks as I start covering The Brady’s in the 1970’s. Groovy!